“Family Night” is something my husband and I have been talking about for years. We dream into the future and imagine our children hanging out with us, enjoying the bonds of family as we intentionally connect once a week. Last night, we set out to start our tradition of family fun.
We loved our time together so much, that I thought it would be fun to make “Family Fun Night” a regular feature here on Chasing Supermom. Each week, I’ll share with you a re-cap of what my family did together, sharing new ideas with you. Sometimes I’ll feature recipes, new products, activities, etc. My goal is to inspire and encourage you to spend more time with your family each week.
If our game-plan doesn’t work for you, here is the most important rule to keep in mind:
Keep it Simple!
If like us, you’re hoping to make “Family Night” a weekly tradition, keep the game-plan simple, and easy to keep up with. If you’re trying to “one-up” yourself each week or create a big elaborate experience, you’ll burn out, and Family Night will fall by the wayside. Remember that kids don’t need big magical experiences….they just need YOU.
Each week I’ll be featuring:
Music – Music is just a part of our family culture, so each week, you’ll be hearing what was on our family playlist.
Dinner-On family night, it’s a good idea to keep dinner pretty kid-friendly. Aim to please. Make something FUN, or that everyone at the table enjoys!
Dessert- We will be taking turns choosing the special dessert or snack each week.
Movie- There are SO many awesome family movies out there. Try to select movies that you haven’t seen a zillion times. Choose a movie that was a favorite several years ago, introduce a classic from YOUR childhood, or choose a new release that you haven’t seen yet.
Activity- Play a game. Read stories. Build a fort. Do relay races in the backyard. Keep it simple, and keep it at HOME. I want our kids to learn that there is tons of fun to be had right here at home. The activities I feature will be fun for the whole family and easy on the wallet too!
Ready to have fun and get a few new ideas? Here we go!
Music: The Not-Its! Kidquake!
Nothing says family fun like an impromptu dance party. The Not-Its! new cd Kidquake! is TONS of fun. The pop-punk style makes you forget you’re listening to kid music! (Watch for a review/giveaway coming soon!)
Dinner: French Bread Pizza
I love (love, love!) making homemade pizza. The baker at our local grocery store was stocking warm bread, and I couldn’t resist. The kids love putting their own toppings on their section of the bread. This is quick, easy, and requires virtually no clean-up! Slice a loaf of French bread lengthwise, add sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings. Bake at 350-375 for approximately 20 minutes. Yum!
Dessert: Supreme Collection: Red Velvet Cake
My son Henry was in charge of dessert this week, and he is crazy for red velvet! We saw this “supreme” cake mix from Pillsbury at the store, and he was hooked. I loved the cream-cheesy swirl that runs through the cake, and loved that I didn’t need to frost the cake. I opted to follow the directions to make the 13×9 cake instead of the Bundt.
Movie: Brave
We hadn’t seen Brave again since the premiere we went to back in June, so we were all excited to watch this movie again. I love the messages of the importance of family, and the courage it takes to be who you truly are.
Activity: tri-FACTa and Animal Eyes Matching
This week, we let each of the older kids choose a game to play. (The 2 year old went to bed after Brave, and the baby went down after dinner!)
Hannah chose the new game that just came in the mail for her this week. I cannot say enough good things about the game tri-FACTa from Learning Resources. This game taught addition and subtraction fact families in a fun and non-threatening way, giving my first grader a boost of extra practice. (A review and giveaway of the game is coming soon!)
Henry chose to play a matching game that requires you to match up pictures of different sets of animal eyes. It was fun to talk about the different animals as the matches were made. We reviewed animal facts while having fun.
See you next week, for more family fun!
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